The globe’s biggest table tennis event can be staged in any corner of the world and expressions of interest hailing from four different continents are testament to that.

Australia, Germany, Kuwait and South Africa are the national associations to have thrown their hat into the ring in a bid to host the 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals.

This will ensure a truly international flavour to the sport’s most prestigious annual event, which following this year’s event in Budapest (Hungary) will take place in Busan (Korea Republic) in 2020, Houston (United States) in 2021 and Chengdu (China) in 2022.

Steeped in tradition. Enhanced by innovation.

Held since 1926, the World Table Tennis Championships holds the greatest historical significance and highest global interest among players, fans, media and partners. The potential economic impact for host cities weighs in at tens of millions US dollars. This is also a huge PR opportunity for cities thanks to unrivalled TV and digital media exposure.

The 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals will be the third edition under the evolutionary, expanded format to ensure maximum participation of ITTF member National Associations.

From 2021 onwards, everything is designed to make the event experience more compelling than ever: 128 players in singles and 64 pairs in each of the doubles, will be competing in a straight knockout to eventually be crowned world champions.

Exciting array of candidates

“The range and diversity of national associations expressing an interest to stage our sport’s greatest event in 2023 is extremely exciting. Three of the candidates, Australia, Kuwait and South Africa, are all vying to host their first ever World Table Tennis Championships Finals, while Germany represents one of the strongest European powers. We are looking forward to seeing a highly competitive bidding process unfold.” – Steve Dainton, ITTF CEO

“The four expressions of interest received to stage the 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals are the latest proof of how our sport is garnering ever greater interest across all regions of the world. Very soon, we shall be reaching out to the candidates with specific requirements for hosting the event, as the bidding process enters the next stages.” – Vicky Eleftheriade, ITTF Competition Director

Next steps…

By 10 October 2019, the ITTF will release the requirements and other resources exclusively to the bidders who have expressed an interest so far. The bidders will have to submit their final bids by 30 November 2019.

Between December 2021 and February 2020, ITTF Officials and Staff will conduct the evaluation and inspections.

In March 2020, candidates are invited to present their bids and the ITTF AGM votes on the allocation of host for the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships Finals.